Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling has joined the bipartisan Legislative Manufacturing Caucus.

“I am honored and proud to have had the opportunity to join the bipartisan Legislative Manufacturing Caucus. I am looking forward to having a stronger voice in representing the hardworking men and women of New Jersey," Assemblyman Houghtaling said.

Signed today at Asbury Park Middle School, the order directs the Department of Law and Public Safety to consider all reasonable efforts to publicly release information on guns used in the commission of crimes in the state. The information is to be posted on the website of the State Police and the Department of Law and Public Safety.

Legislation Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey sponsored to expand access to medical marijuana was advanced Thursday by an Assembly panel.The bill is designated “Jake Honig’s Law” in honor of Jake Honig, a Howell resident nicknamed “Jake the Tank” who, at the age of two, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer with a rare genetic mutation.

Senator Vin Gopal, Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling and Assemblywoman Joann Downey are pleased to announce the Princess Prom Project is back for the third year.

The expenses related to prom can add up quickly, especially for a family living on a tight budget. The Princess Prom Project works to alleviate a major expense by providing local high school students with a dress and accessories to ensure every student has the opportunity to enjoy prom.

Historic legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Joann Downey to promote equal pay for women was advanced out of both the Assembly and Senate on Monday.

The bill (A-1) modifies current law, including the Law Against Discrimination (LAD), to strengthen protections against employment discrimination and promote equal pay for equal women.

Specifically, the bill will amend the LAD to make it an unlawful practice for an employer to discriminate against an employee because the employee is a member of a class protected against discrimination by the LAD, by paying a rate of compensation, including benefits, to employees of a protected class less than the rate paid to employees not of the class for substantially similar work, when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility.

Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling to publicly promote farm-to-table restaurants on the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism website was advanced through the Assembly during the chamber’s voting session on Monday.

“In the age of mass production and processed food, it is important to promote establishments that are providing New Jerseyans with the freshest, cleanest food,” said Assemblyman Houghtaling.

Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Joann Downey to require schools to maintain a supply of an opioid antidote was released Monday by an Assembly committee.

The bill (A-542) would require high schools to maintain a supply of naloxone hydrochloride, or a similar opioid antidote, and permit the school nurse to administer the antidote to a student or staff member who is experiencing an overdose. The board of education may designate additional employees who may be trained and authorized to administer the antidote in the absence of the nurse.

Legislation Assemblywoman Joann Downey introduced to ensure homeowners who prepaid property taxes last year because of federal tax law changes will get credit for doing so under 2017 state income taxes was advanced Thursday by an Assembly panel.

The bill (A-2650) requires the state to accept advance property tax payments as part of the property tax deduction available on state income tax returns.

Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Joann Downey to promote equal pay for women was advanced out of the Assembly Labor Committeeon Monday.

The bill (A-1) modifies current law, including the Law Against Discrimination (LAD), to strengthen protections against employment discrimination and promote equal pay for equal women.

Specifically, the bill will amend the LAD to make it an unlawful practice for an employer to discriminate against an employee because the employee is a member of a class protected against discrimination by the LAD, by paying a rate of compensation, including benefits, to employees of a protected class less than the rate paid to employees not of the class for substantially similar work, when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility.

An Assembly panel approved legislation sponsored by Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey that wouldbar public entities from entering into confidential settlements of whistleblower lawsuits with public employees and mandate that such settlements are part of open public records.

The bill was first introduced last session in response to thesettlement reached with former Hunterdon County Assistant Prosecutor Bennett Barlyn, who testified extensively on the bill during a hearing this week before the Judiciary Committee. Barlyn filed a lawsuit against the state in 2012 alleging he had been fired in 2010 after complaining to a superior that an indictment brought by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office had been dismissed by then Attorney General Paula Dow for political reasons.

Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling to make it easier for homeowners to find their information for the Homestead Property Tax Reimbursement Program application was recently approved by the Assembly State and Local Committee.

The homestead property tax reimbursement program provides property taxpayers with a refund of the difference between property taxes paid in the base year, the first year in which a taxpayer becomes eligible to participate in the program, and the year for which an eligible claimant seeks reimbursement.